Boxing Day and New Year’s Day Swims in Pembrokeshire

Brave the elements with these fun seasonal swims

It’s a tradition for many during the festive season to go for an open-water swim, despite the cold and frosty weather. Some of Pembrokeshire’s most popular annual events take place at Christmastime and are worth a visit whether you’re brave enough to get involved or would rather stick to the sidelines and support. With a Boxing Day Swim in Tenby, a New Year’s Day Swim in Saundersfoot and a New Year’s Day Swim in Whitesands, these festive events are all about supporting charity and having good community fun!

Christmas Day swims, Boxing Day swims and New Year’s Day swims have a strong history in Wales - which is no wonder given the extensive coastline bordering the country. Many of the festive swims you’ll see across the country have been going on for many years and the tradition of getting involved has grown rapidly in recent years.

So why get involved with a “xmas swim”? Community spirit is at an all-time high with these events so expect a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and a tremendous amount of good old-fashioned silliness. Plus, they take place at some of Pembrokeshire’s most iconic beach locations making each one a unique experience to tick off the bucket list.

Boxing Day Swim, Tenby

Arguably the best Boxing Day swim in Wales, this Boxing Day dip takes place annually on the 26th of December making the date for this year’s event, Thursday 26th December 2024. The location of choice is North Beach, the place to be for open-water swimming in Tenby as this is also where Ironman Wales and Long Course Weekend host their swim elements. The Boxing Day Swim in Tenby begins at 11am with swimmers taking to the water from 11:30am onwards.

Organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association, this annual boxing day event in Pembrokeshire started in 1971 with only 100 participants - making it the oldest festive swim in the area. The event raised £400 that very first year, with proceeds put towards new radar equipment for the town’s lifeboat.

Tenby Boxing Day Swim has grown substantially over the years, amassing over a whopping £300,000 in funds raised for charity with an impressive 1050 swimmers taking part recently in the 2023 event. Now in its 52nd year, it is a must-attend in many people’s diaries and it’s no wonder, as the atmosphere is electric and the community involvement is huge with soup and medals provided to those who take part (providing they present their authorised wristband).

Each year, this Boxing Day dip encourages fancy dress with the 2024 theme being superheroes, in honour of their chosen charity - the RNLI. Celebrating their 200th anniversary in 2024, the RNLI plays a significant role in this harbourside Welsh town. To enter, head to the official Tenby Boxing Day Swim website. Entry costs £11.55.

© Crown Copyright

New Year's Day Swim, Saundersfoot

Hailed as the “biggest festive dip in the UK”, the annual Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim is set to take place on the 1st January each year, making the date for the next event Wednesday 1st January 2025. Taking place on the golden sands of Saundersfoot Beach, the participants of this New Year’s Day swim (now in its 39th edition) are set off at 12:30pm with a colourful fireworks display at the startline.

The New Year’s Day Swim in Saundersfoot actually began as a Boxing Day event, with the first event taking place in 1984 with a mere 10 swimmers with the fundraising money being put towards equipment for the local medical centre and changing rooms for the local sports club. The following year, it moved to its more recognised place in the calendar and has stayed there ever since.

Saundersfoot NYD Swim, as it is affectionately known locally, regularly reaches participant numbers of around 1000 but the event reached record numbers in 2024, with a staggering 2500+ people taking part to raise money for their chosen charities.

So what can you expect if you’re considering taking part? A mass of people gather together on the sands ready to run into the sea for this festive splash-n-dash whilst crowds of supporters line the surroundings and congregate along the promenade for an elevated viewing platform. You’ll see plenty of activity in the preamble to the swim kicking off such as a group dance on the sand and perhaps even a sing-along! As with Tenby’s Boxing Day Swim, this one strongly encourages fancy dress with prizes for the best-dressed though there’s no theme to follow so feel free to go wild!

Organised by Saundersfoot Festivities, who also run Saundersfest and the TenFoot Swim, this New Year’s Day Swim in Saundersfoot has reached a cumulative fundraising total of over £775,000 for charity. In 2025, the allocated charities are the RNLI and the Welsh Air Ambulance though you are welcome to raise money for any charity of your choosing if you’d prefer.

Tickets for this festive swim can be purchased online via the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim official website costing £5 per adult and £3 for under 16s and on the day, you must make sure to pick up your event wristband to show you have entered the event.

© Crown Copyright

New Year's Day Swim, Whitesands

Taking place this year on Wednesday 1st January 2025, the Whitesands New Year’s Day Swim is another brilliant annual event to add to your diary if you’re in the area during the Christmas holidays.

Run by St Davids Penknife Club, a local voluntary organisation that carries out events throughout the year in aid of local charities, the 2025 event will mark 21 years of holding a New Year’s Day dip at Whitesands Beach.

Registration for the New Year’s Day swim in Whitesands begins at 11am with a swim start at 12 noon, but the festivities don’t stop there. Join the crowd of participants and supporters at The Farmers Arms in St Davids afterwards for a day filled with cawl, live music. The popular New Year’s Day Quiz is even making at this traditional city pub where the fireplaces will be roaring and the drinks will be flowing.

£34,000 has been raised over the years for a variety of local causes such as Shalom House, a palliative care hospice located in St Davids, and the minimum donation asked for is just £5 per person.

 © Crown Copyright

Get into the festive spirit

If you want to fully experience the festive season by the coast, joining in with a Boxing Day dip or a New Year’s Day swim in Wales is the perfect way to do so. Whether you’re braving the water, volunteering to help manage the crowds or being a cheerful supporter; a fun-filled day is guaranteed. Make sure to wrap up warm with woolly hats and thick coats, for these winter swims are sure to be chilly!

Go that extra mile to stay cosy and treat yourself to a stay in one of our holiday cottages in Pembrokeshire where you can curl up before a warming fire pre and post-swim; it's the best way to spend your winter days. Our collection of holiday homes in Whitesands are all within easy reach of the beach and several offer sea views, meaning you can stay within the warm interiors of your property if you so wish!

Our wide variety of accommodations in Tenby provides plenty of choice for Christmas breaks so you can get involved with the Boxing Day Swim. However, if you book a New Year’s getaway too, you can enjoy fireworks in Tudor Square as you countdown to midnight. Or browse our holiday cottages in Saundersfoot for sea view apartments where you can watch the NYD Swim, dog friendly houses just a walk from the beach and even 5* luxury homes too.

To find out more about what's on in the area throughout the year, check out our guide to events in Pembrokeshire or read our article on Pembrokeshire Christmas events.

Main image: © Crown Copyright, Tenby Boxing Day Swim